BUROHAPPOLD ON

SPORT & ENTERTAINMENT

Millemium Dome (O2 Arena)

Architect: Richard Rogers
Image: Adam Wilson

S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

BuroHappold Engineering is an independent, international engineering firm

with a reputation, built up over the last 40 years, for delivering creative, value led
building and city solutions for an ever changing world.

Described by our clients as passionate,

innovative, and collaborative, BuroHappold
Engineering has become synonymous with
the delivery of creative, value-led building
and city solutions for an ever changing
world. Experienced in working on every
continent, our clients include more than
90% of the worlds leading architectural
practices. Additionally, we have collaborated
with global organizations such as the United
Nations, the World Bank, and UNESCO.
Supported by our global community
of driven, world-leading engineering
professionals, we deliver elegant solutions for
buildings and cities that seek to address the
major problems facing communities today.
Using integrated approaches that aim to
create innovative, holistic, and flexible
solutions, we work closely with a diverse
range of celebrated expertsarchitects,
economists, academics, and visionaries
to define, develop, and deliver strategic,
people-focused outcomes. These strong
relationships provide us with additional
insight and perspectives that ensure the
solutions we find can more effectively
bridge science and society. Our work culture
drives the can-do attitude and the World
Architecture 100 poll has consistently voted
BuroHappold as one of the best engineering
organizations to work with.

The North America region was established in

1999 in New York and the firm now has five
offices across the country in Boston, Chicago,
Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
As a next generation engineering and
consulting firm, BuroHappold is designing
the most innovative projects across the U.S.,
ranging across all sectors. These include the
PNC Bank Headquartersdesigned to be
the greenest office tower in the world; the
NFL Atlanta Falcons Stadiumwith a unique,
oculus retractable roof design; and the LEED
Platinum Anaheim Regional Transportation
Intermodal Center (ARTIC) in California
featuring a complex, geometric form, using
ETFE material. As a result of our experience
working on such diverse projects, our
engineers have gained an unparalleled depth
of knowledge and breadth of expertise.
BuroHappold prides itself on innovative
thinking, technical rigor, and a sound
reputation for delivering truly high
performing, inspirational spaces. On all of
our projects, we use our industry knowledge
and experience to push boundaries and
achieve more. It is this commitment to
expansive thinking that sets us apart, adds
value, and is the essence of who we are.

FAST FAC TS
Firm established in 1976
1600 total staff
27 offices worldwide
50 LEED certified projects
7 Net Zero Energy projects
Largest ETFE roof in North America

SERVICES
Structures
MEP/FP
Faades
Sustainability
Energy Modeling
Fire Life Safety
Civil/Infrastructure
Lighting Design
Master Planning
Project Management

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

BuroHappold Engineering is dedicated to creating projects that are

successful and sustainable in the broadest possible sense. We believe sport
and entertainment facilities can be the catalyst for sustainable development
and regeneration of an area, providing new opportunities for all members
of the surrounding community.

SPORT AND
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Sport and entertainment projects
can transform an area and its people.
Establishment of The O2 entertainment
district on the Greenwich peninsula in
London is a great example of a suite of
businesses thriving in an otherwise underdeveloped area.
Our deep understanding of the sport and
entertainment sector business, including
legislative frameworks and the needs of
governing and regulatory bodies, enables
us to drive designs to sustainable outcomes
for, and with, our clients.
We appreciate that the clients business
depends on attracting the right type of
consumer and giving them the experience
they want. As such, we design with the
needs of all users in mind, whether they be
fan, player, owner, corporate guest or one of
the maintenance team. The aim is to ensure
each users journey is of the highest possible
quality, whether that goes from coach to
changing room to field or from the parking
lot to turnstile, to bar to seat.

S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Our involvement begins with wideranging, high level advice for clients,
including business planning and strategic
management consultancy from our
in-house specialists. This ensures a
robust business plan and a tight brief is
established, two aspects which contribute a
great deal to the success of a project.
Our sustainability experts can be brought in
at this stage to ensure these principles are
enshrined early in the design process.
Secondly, at a masterplanning level, we
develop sustainable communities, working
alongside the architect and based on our
profound technical understanding and
appreciation of the business and wider
communities aspirations. This is achieved
through configuring efficient infrastructure
networks for energy, water, waste and
transportation.
Finally, we deliver exemplary building
design be it stadium, arena, velodrome
or an aquatics center based on a detailed
understanding of how these buildings
function, again based on the needs of the
various users.

Presenting a single, holistic team offering all

these services saves time and reduces risk
for the client and provides the vehicle for
the full range of multi-disciplinary activities
our engineers can offer. This requires a level
of collaboration that the design team thrives
on and has helped create a track record of
great achievement in the sector.
Having worked with some of the worlds
leading architects on venues that become
the subject of global attention, our team has
the expertise to meet all of a clients needs,
to create buildings that deliver in terms of
the business plan as well as aesthetic and
functional quality.

Baylor University, McLane Stadium

Architect: Populous
Image: Christy Radecic

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

OUR EXPERIENCE
BuroHappold Engineering has designed an enviable portfolio of sport and entertainment facilities,
delivering holistic, integrated designs covering every technical discipline for the built environment.

Liverpool Arena and

Convention Centre
Liverpool, UK

The Pods Sports Academy

Scunthorpe, UK

2015
Baylor Univesity, McLane Stadium
Baylor, TX

2017

2014
Ralph Wilson Buffalo Bills Football
Stadium
Buffalo, NY

Fisht Olympic Stadium

Sochi, Russia

2017

2013
Pinnacle Bank Arena
Lincoln, NE

London 2012 Olympic Stadium

London, UK

2014

2011

Astana Stadium
Kazakhstan

2011

2008

The practice believes, however, that the focus should be on the

action in question and although many of these buildings have
become iconic in their own right, our emphasis is on creating a
functional yet sustainable building that leads to the best possible
spectator experience. Throughout this range of buildings the
work of BuroHappold is playing a discreet and silent but vital
supporting role.

2008

Many of these have become the focus of world attention through

hosting prestigious international events, be they sporting or
cultural, in locations all over the world. These include some of the
most famous sporting stadia built in recent times, a host of facilities
for Summer and Winter Olympic games and the most popular rock
music arena in the world.

King Abdullah Stadium Projects

Saudi Arabia

Atlanta Falcons Football Stadium

Atlanta, GA

A snapshot of our work in sport and entertainment

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Pinnacle Bank Arena

Architect: DLR Group
Image: Lawrence Anderson / Esto

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

SELEC T PROJEC T EXPERIENCE

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

A N I C O N I C S TA D I U M O N T H E R I G H T S I D E O F T H E T R A C K S

PINNACLE BANK ARENA

LINCOLN, NE
Home to the University of Nebraska
basketball teams, as well as being a general
entertainment venue, the Pinnacle Bank
Arena is a new, multi use facility located
in Lincoln.
The 15,200 seat arena, with capacity to
expand, presented unique challenges
because of the small available worksite.
This was located between two operational
railway lines that could not be fully removed
until a year into construction. BuroHappold
Engineering created solutions allowing
much of the arena to be built prior to the
track removal, while remaining within
timescale and budget.
The solution was a hybrid superstructure
of concrete and steel, constructed in two
sequences and separated by the timing of
the track removal. To keep to the schedule
a portion of the bowl, which ultimately
supported the roof, was manufactured from
concrete and built between the railway
lines. After the tracks were relocated,
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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

a structural steel infill was added at the

perimeter creating additional project space.

CLI EN T
City of Lincoln/University of Nebraska

Owing to the architectural design, the

structural engineering and major MEP
systems were all modeled together in
3D. The design team was then able to
coordinate their work using model screen
shots shared among all its members.
This proved to be critical as the fast track
delivery system and simultaneous twosequence construction process meant
collaboration was crucial on the project.
The roof was erected in less than four
months, three weeks ahead of schedule,
meaning the project stayed within its
strict budget.

AR CH I T EC T
DLR Group

The new arena is situated in Lincolns

thriving West Haymarket district, a short
walk from the main campus. Memorial
Stadium and Haymarket Park, host to the
Nebraska Cornhusker football and baseball
teams, are also nearby, with the addition
of the new arena completing an exciting
entertainment zone.

PR OJ EC T VALU E
$180M
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2013
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering

Image Lawrence Anderson Esto

C O M M U N I T Y I D E N T I T Y W I T H A S I G N AT U R E S TA D I U M

BAYLOR UNIVERSIT Y MCLANE STADIUM

WACO, T X
Located on a 93 acre site, this vast new
stadium provides flexible seating for
45,00055,000 spectators. As well as linking
to the university campus via a bridge,
the project also connects to the wider
community with the view to stimulating
further riverfront development by
revitalizing downtown Waco and bringing
jobs to the area.
BuroHappold Engineering devised the
superstructure, long span roof and
foundation systems for the stadium,
using advanced computer modeling to
achieve high performance design within a
very tight budget.
Due to its location in central Texas,
we had to develop a roof that would
provide maximum shade before and during
sporting events. We responded with an
innovative asymmetric design rendered in
lightweight materials that were carefully
analyzed to ensure they could withstand
the wind loads of the area. Using parametric

modeling we were able to optimize the

size of the roof trusses, and incorporate
the fabricators requirements for shipping
and on-site erection into our construction
methodology.

CLI EN T
Baylor University

Our team worked closely with the

contractor to establish the most efficient
superstructure for the stadium. We used
BIM to inform our work, which allowed us
to meet design aspirations while remaining
mindful of budgetary constraints. The
resulting model was used to inform our
choice of materials and the sequence of
construction that would produce the most
streamlined, cost effective engineering
solutions.

PR OJ EC T VALU E
$250 million

AR CH I T EC T
Populous

D U R AT I O N
Completed 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, facades engineering,
shadow and daylight studies, roof analysis,
construction site supervision

Working collaboratively with the wider

design team throughout the course of the
project enabled us to realize an impressive
new stadium that will serve the university
and community for generations to come.

Images Christy Radecic Photography

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SQUASH FACILITIES

MIDDLEBURY, V T
The Middlebury College Squash Facility is
a 17,000ft2 addition to the existing athletic
complex. Comprised of nine competition
squash courts, a fitness room and office, the
facility also includes a naturally lit spectator
area located within the center concourse
that serves as a new campus gathering
space.
BuroHappolds integrated structural and
MEP engineering services were key to
achieving an efficient and cost effective
design for the facility. BIM and energy
modeling tools were also utilized as part of
the effort to achieve efficiencies and a LEED
Platinum rating.

CLI EN T
Middlebury College
AR CH I T EC T
ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$7 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2013
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, MEP engineering, fire
protection engineering, energy modeling

Image Todd Balfour

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

SALEM STATE UNIVERSIT Y, FITNESS AND RECREATION CENTER

SALEM, MA
The Harold E. and Marilyn J. Gassett Fitness
and Recreation Center is a 38,063ft2
glass-walled complex on the Salem State
University campus. The 2-story building is
an addition to the existing OKeefe Hockey
and Basketball Center. The new facility
provides top-tier exercise equipment, locker
rooms, studios for dance and yoga, two
recreational basketball courts and a lounge
area. After reconfiguring the second floor
basketball courts, the University is now
able to accommodate 1,000 attendees for
lectures and conferences.
As part of the adaptive reuse strategy,
existing boiler and chiller in adjacent OKeefe
Center were reviewed and determined
that they can provide adequate heating
and cooling for the addition as well as the
existing building. To allow proper mechanical
air flow within the triple height basketball
court, anti-stratification fans are included
to circulate air. As part of the energy saving
features, energy recovery wheels have been
included in all air handling units.

CLI EN T
Salem State University
AR CH I T EC T
DiMella Shaffer
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$13.5 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2013
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
MEP/FP engineering, energy modeling

Image Robert Benson Photography

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

V E R S AT I L E FA C I L I T I E S F O R V A R S I T Y S P O R T S

CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE, ROBER TS PAVILION

CLAREMONT, CA
As leaders of Division III of the Southern
California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference, Claremont McKenna College
needed sports facilities that would
keep them at the top of their game.
The new 120,000ft2 Roberts Pavilion will
provide a three story fitness and athletic
center housing an arena for basketball and
volleyball that satisfies NCAA regulations,
a 2,000 seat event center, a swimming pool,
a gymnasium, and a new home for the
Department of Physical Education
and Athletics.
BuroHappold Engineering worked closely
with the architect to design a facility that
held sustainability at its heart. To realize
our clients aspiration for a LEED Platinum
rating, strategies included highly efficient
mechanical systems, energy recovery
capabilities, storm water filtration, demand
control exhaust ventilation, and numerous
skylights to create uplifting, light filled
spaces. The building itself is devised to
counteract heat gain from both solar and
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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

occupancy sources, further enhancing the

interior atmosphere while reducing overall
running costs.
Early on in the design, we provided MEP
systems and energy modeling advice to
assist the contractor in gauging various
options to determine the most suitable
and cost-effective schemes. It is this
commitment to working collaboratively to
achieve the goals of our client that sets our
work apart, and ensures we find the right
solutions for every individual project.

CLI EN T
Claremont McKenna College
AR CH I T EC T
John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$60 million
D U R AT I O N
2009 - 2015
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
MEP engineering, LEED and sustainability
consulting, energy modeling

Rendering JFAK

A N E W S TA N D A R D I N S U S TA I N A B L E S TA D I U M D E S I G N

NE W ATLANTA STADIUM
ATLANTA, GA
Located on a 25,000ft2 site and
accommodating seating for approximately
80,000 sports fans, this new multi-purpose
arena will provide a premier sports facility
that sets a new precedent in sustainable
stadia design.
With our client pursuing LEED NC
certification as a primary goal, BuroHappold
Engineering worked closely with the
architect to develop a supporting
framework that will inform all stages of the
program to realize a highly efficient design.
One of our primary means of achieving
this comes through our pioneering use of
ETFE across the buildings facades, which
is a transparent, lightweight yet insulating
material that allows for minimal, elegant,
structural detailing.

While a compelling argument for the

versatility and value of this material is made
throughout the building, it is perhaps most
eloquently demonstrated in its application
on the stadiums unique oculus-shaped
roof. Based around the movement of a
camera shutter, our design comprises eight
lightweight ETFE panels supported by long
span trusses that enable faster opening and
closing than a standard retractable roof. The
eastern side of the building is also rendered
in ETFE, creating a window to the city with
views to downtown Atlanta.
The project team have worked closely
and collaboratively to realize a holistic
design that will ensure both a unique fan
experience and a visually impressive venue
for premier sporting and entertainment
events. As the countrys first single skin
ETFE facade, the stadium will also provide
an innovative example of the way in which
sustainable design can be achieved in the
sport and entertainment sector.

CLI EN T
Georgia World Congress Center /
Atlanta Falcons
AR CH I T EC T
HOK
PR OJ EC T VALU E
Confidential
D U R AT I O N
Completion expected in 2017
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, facade engineering,
sustainability consulting

Image AMB Sports & Entertainment

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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A N N F L S TA D I U M T O W I T H S TA N D A S TA M P E D E O F FA N S

R ALPH WILSON FOOTBALL STADIUM

BUFFALO, NY
Home to the Buffalo Bills football team,
this 62,000 seat 1970s stadium was starting
to show its age due to the harsh northeastern
climate that causes constant thermal
expansion and contraction throughout
the building. This large scale renovation
project provides much needed structural
updates, as well as improving crowd flow and
modernizing the amenities in general.
BuroHappold Engineering was appointed
to undertake the structural engineering
elements on this project, which included
work on the main concourse, club space,
dugouts, concessions, restrooms, video
boards, entry gate canopies, perimeter
fencing, retaining walls and ramps. In
addition, we updated the adjacent players
training facility.

Our initial investigations showed that by

far the most cost effective solution for our
client would be to find ways to renovate
the stadium without having to retrofit the
existing structure. This method always proves
challenging to an engineering team, not least
due to the lack of relevant documentation
for older buildings, so our experience of
undertaking similarly ambitious projects
proved essential in helping us navigate
the obstacles that arose. Taking a due
diligence approach, we undertook extensive
assessment to inform a detailed field report
and subsequent design strategy, and
performed tests throughout the project to
ensure we found the most appropriate and
efficient solutions possible.

CLI EN T
County of Erie, New York
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$130 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering

The Ralph Wilson Football Stadium is

BuroHappolds first NFL stadium project.
We were able to apply our aggregated
knowledge from years of working on
comparable developments to ensure its
success, and that it will be the first of many.
Images BuroHappold Engineering

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

REGINA MOSAIC STADIUM

VANCOUVER, CANADA
Alongside NBBJ / Stantec / Bouygues,
BuroHappold Engineering was part of a
design competition for the new Regina
Mosaic Stadium in Canada. The City of
Regina is the owner of several sports and
entertainment facilities, including Mosaic
Stadium, home of the Saskatchewan
Roughriders. The Mosaic Stadium site
was originally developed in 1910 and has
been modified and expanded several
times to its current seating capacity of
27,750. Temporary seating was added in
recent years in anticipation of the 2013
Grey Cup which boosted the capacity to
approximately 33,000.
Building on the success of Reginas
Downtown Plan, the Regina Revitalization
Initiative will deliver a replacement for
Mosaic Stadium, and will add to the Citys
current sports and entertainment options,
including a new anchor facility that will
attract future development to the area.

During programming, various seating

layouts (bowl) were considered, and an
evolution of the traditional side stand
arrangement that creates more good seats,
called the infinity bowl, was adopted.
Concept design of the stadium envelope,
which includes the roof, iss inspired by the
vast skies of the province. Considered in
respect of the local climate and expected
usage, it is visually striking and practical.
A smart envelope that removes the
wind in the fall and winter and adds the
radiant benefits of the sun creates more
comfortable conditions. In summer, the
wind is allowed to blow through to cool
spectators. BuroHappold was involved
in analysis that has shown that the roof
geometry has a material impact on
spectator comfort; it has, therefore, been
designed to achieve material benefit and
create a new landmark for Regina.

CLI EN T
City of Regina
AR CH I T EC T
NBBJ / Stantec / Bouygues
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$278 million
D U R AT I O N
Competition completed in 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, facade engineering

Renderings NBBJ
BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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OT TAWA LANSDOWNE STADIUM, TD PLACE

OT TAWA, CANADA
The renovation of the Ottawa Lansdowne
Frank Clair Stadium is one component
of the extensive redevelopment effort
for Lansdowne Park. The stadium was
designed to accommodate professional,
university and community sports such as
soccer, lacrosse, football and events such
as concerts. The historic north stands were
refurbished while an organically shaped
wooden canopy structure housing the
new south stands and concourse creates
an iconic presence for the city while
complimenting surrounding structures
and landscape. The new stadium will
have 24,000 seats, 318 of which will be
wheelchair accessible; 26 corporate boxes;
four locker rooms; and field/turf surface.

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

CLI EN T
Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group
AR CH I T EC T
Halsall Associates/Cannon Design
PR OJ EC T VALU E
Confidential
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering

A W I N N I N G S TA D I U M E X P E R I E N C E

MONTERREY STADIUM
MEXICO
Tecate Stadium is the new home for Club
de Ftbol Monterrey. The 50,000 seat
stadium is one of the premier football
and concert venues in Central and South
America. BuroHappold Engineering
provided structural engineering
and microclimate comfort analysis
services for this exciting project.
The key design features include an elliptical
seating bowl that offers unsurpassed
closeness to the action and the highest
quality viewing standards available.
The seating areas are clad with a metal
amorphous envelope that facilitates a
thriving atmosphere both during football
games and rock concerts. This metal skin has
a series of vents and canopies to promote
air movement within the circulation
areas and provides shade from the sun.

BuroHappold was asked to determine the

surface temperature of the metal skin,
calculate the impact on thermal comfort
for occupants and propose mitigation
strategies that might improve comfort
conditions. To do this a series of dynamic
thermal models were constructed to study
the various environmental factors at play.
Additional studies were done looking at
the air movement promoted by the vents
in the skin. The proposed solution was
put forward and implemented by the
design team improving comfort by 25%.

CLI EN T
FEMSA
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$175 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2015
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering (concept and schematic
design), microclimate comfort analysis

As part of the design process the design

team was asked to study how the metal
skin would affect the comfort of occupants
sitting on the upper decks of the stadium.
Rendering Populous
BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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A W O R L D C L A S S S TA D I U M F O R A W O R L D C L A S S F O O T B A L L C L U B

AWARDS
2012 LO N D O N PL AN N I N G AWAR DS

Best Build Project 5 years on

2007 CI BSE M A J O R PR OJ EC T O F
T H E Y E AR

Winner

2006 LO N D O N PL AN N I N G AWAR DS
M AYO R S AWAR D FO R PL AN N I N G
E XCELLEN CE

Winner

2006 LO N D O N PL AN N I N G
AWAR DS B E S T BU I LT PR OJ EC T
CO N T R I BU T I O N TO LO N D O N S
FU T U R E

Winner

EMIRATES STADIUM, ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB

LONDON, UK
Opening in 2006 the Emirates Stadium
garnered rapturous reviews from players
and fans alike. BuroHappold Engineerings
work on the building and surrounds
required high level coordination and
teamwork to meet the needs of this
modern football club. This meant delivering
optimum solutions for crowd comfort and
views, atmosphere, facilities and media
access, all within a small triangular site in a
dense part of London.
Highly efficient structural design is at this
projects heart, providing excellent views for
all 60,000 spectators while keeping within
challenging height constraints imposed by
the local authority. Considerably lighter than
comparable stadia, the elegant steelwork
structure was designed as a straightforward
build, saving construction time and cost.
The sloping roof maximizes sunlight and
also helps reduce shadowing on the pitch
which can hamper television coverage.
In search of the optimum shape, over a
hundred designs were created for the
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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

stadiums internal bowl, which has seating

and hospitality boxes on four tiers.
Smooth cladding underneath the upper
tiers gives an uncluttered appearance and
helps reflect sound, building atmosphere
in the seating below. Hi spec corporate
entertainment boxes and meeting spaces
in the building provide conference/meeting
facilities to provide additional revenue
streams on non-match days.

CLI EN T
Arsenal Football Club

The fans experience is at the heart of our

design. The air conditioning system has
been strengthened to cope with the huge
influx of fans in a short space of time, and
to handle humidity on a rainy day. Complex
3D modeling was used to fit heating and
cooling services equipment and pipework
into the relatively compact spaces in back of
house areas.

SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, civil engineering,
geotechnical engineering, bridges and MEP
engineering, infrastructure, facades, fire
engineering, disability design and security
consulting services

The result of our work across the

engineering spectrum, Emirates Stadium
has been a triumph in design and usability
which has helped create a new football
landmark for the club and for London.

AR CH I T EC T
Populous
PR OJ EC T VALU E
150m
D U R AT I O N
2000 2006

Image Simon Warren

W AT E R T I G H T S O L U T I O N S T O O LY M P I A N C H A L L E N G E S

LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC STADIUM

LONDON, UK
The London 2012 Olympic Stadium forms
the center piece of the largest new park
created in Europe for a century. Designed
with an 80,000 capacity for the Olympic and
Paralympic Games, the Stadium is designed
such that it can be dismantled down to a
25,000 capacity venue if required for its
longer term use.
BuroHappold Engineering worked as part
of Team Stadium an integrated design and
construction team. Through collaboration
and innovation the team created a simple
dismantlable superstructure with an
innovative lightweight cable supported
roof. Lifting the roofs inner tension ring
from its temporary scaffolding structure
to its final position could not have been
achieved without the ingenuity and
integration of the whole team.
Sustainability played a huge part in
informing the Stadiums design and
construction, to meet the ODAs high targets
and priority themes. The embodied energy
consumed in manufacturing the Stadiums

elements was far less than other Olympic

stadia, due to the compact design. Where
possible the team reused existing materials,
for example, the Compression Truss to the
roof was constructed by using 4000 tons of
unwanted gas pipeline found in a yard in
Yorkshire. The permanent building services
installation has been designed to exacting
standards for limiting carbon emissions
during operation. Completed two months
ahead of the contract completion date and
under budget with an outstanding safety
record, the Stadium provides world class
facilities for athletes, management and
international press and broadcast media.
Commitment, innovation and close
collaboration between architecture,
engineering and construction has resulted
in an elegant, bold, inspirational, efficient
and sustainable Stadium that reflects the
Olympic principals of respect, friendship
and excellence and above all supports and
provides the foundations to the vision
to build a better world through sport.

CLI EN T
Olympic Delivery Authority
D E SI G N AN D BU I LD CO N T R AC TO R
Sir Robert McAlpine
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
L AN DS C APE AR CH I T EC T
HED
D U R AT I O N
2007 2011
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, MEP engineering,
civil engineering, geotechnical engineering,
geoenvironmental consultancy, fire
engineering, inclusive design consultancy,
security consultancy, sustainability advice,
computational simulation and analysis, CDM
coordinator services, lighting design

Images ODA
BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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E VER TON FOOTBALL STADIUM

KIRKBY, UK
BuroHappold Engineering was appointed
by Barr Construction to provide the
engineering design for Evertons new
50,000-seat stadium. Provision was made
to ensure that the stadium capacity can be
expanded to 60,000 in the future as well as
provisions for hospitality for 1,700 people,
expandable to 3,750 people with 24 boxes.
The utilities and shell infrastructure will
accommodate future expansion. Only the
second floor is to feature conditioned,
insulated spaces suitable for premium-level
type activities. The first floor and third floor
are to be unconditioned spaces, ventilated
by a combination of natural ventilation and
extract to toilets and kiosks.

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

CLI EN T
Barr Technical Services
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$103 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2009
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
MEP engineering, structural engineering,
FEDRA, acoustics, infrastructure and ground
engineering, CoSA

THE MILLENNIUM DOME

GREENWICH, LONDON, UK
One of the most recognized landmarks
in the UK and the largest of its kind in the
world, the Millennium Dome was completed
in 1999 in readiness for the national turnof-the-century celebrations. The Dome was
built to house a series of exhibition spaces
and core buildings.
This was a multidisciplinary project
incorporating each service offered by
BuroHappold Engineering at the time and
involving every UK BuroHappold office.
Extensive remediation work was required
prior to construction to render the site fit for
use. The roof of the Dome is an enormous
cable net, 1,000ft in diameter and clad
in 860,000ft2 of tensioned PTFE coated
glass fiber fabric. It is an innovative feat of
engineering yet simple in concept, and was
the recipient of the prestigious MacRobert
Award in 1999. The roof surface is shaped
like a spherical cap. Twelve 330ft-high steel
masts extend from the roof that support
a tensioned net of steel cables, arranged
radially on the surface of the Dome and held

in place by hangar and tie-down cables at

82ft intervals. An inner layer of covering
reduces thermal gain and improves thermal
and acoustic performance.
Our MEP engineers ingeniously opted to
house primary electrical and mechanical
plant in 12 steel cylinders that surround the
dome, in order to incorporate the architects
aesthetic desires.

CLI EN T
The New Millennium Experience Company
Limited
AR CH I T EC T
Richard Rogers Partnerships
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$1.2 billion
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 1999
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, long span and
lightweight structures engineering, faade
engineering, planning supervision, site
supervision, quantity surveying, geotechnical
engineering, waste water solutions, site
infrastructure, building aervices wngineering,
fire safety design and risk assessment and
project management

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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A S U S TA I N A B L E S P O R T I N G V E N U E T H AT I N S P I R E S A N D D E L I G H T S

AWARDS
2011 B CI AWAR D

Winner

2011 EU R O PE AN S T EEL D E SI G N
AWAR D

Winner

2011 R I BA EU AWAR D

Winner

2011 SP O R T S/LEISU R E S T R U C T U R E
AWAR D

Highly commended

2011 I R ISH CO N CR E T E S O CI E T Y
B E S T BU I LD I N G AWAR D

Winner

2010 EN G I N EER S I R EL AN D
E XCELLEN CE EN G I N EER I N G
PR OJ EC T O F T H E Y E AR

Shortlisted

AVIVA STADIUM
DUBLIN, IRELAND
The Aviva Stadium is a state of the art
sporting arena and home for both the Irish
Rugby Football Union and the Football
Association of Ireland. Its largely transparent
form sits on the historic Lansdowne Road
and is both a visually spectacular stadium
and a pioneering structure. The challenge
was to design a building capable of seating
thousands of people within a stringent
height limit, on a site that contains a railway
station, in a residential area.
From the outset, the client wanted
to minimize the stadiums impact on
the environment. So as not to dwarf
neighboring houses, the outline of the roof
was designed to drop from four tiers of
seating in the east and west stands down to
one for the north stand. Accommodating a
dramatic height difference led our engineers
to create a two part roof containing a
horseshoe shaped truss for the three high
sides, connecting to a dependent shell
structure over the lower north stand. This
structural form, which was created entirely
20

S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

in parametric 3D CAD software, required

close collaboration between architect and
our engineers. The result is a building that
would have been impossible to design and
deliver even a decade ago.
One of the key issues at ground level was
the demolition and reconstruction of the
railway station that sat beneath the former
west stand. This was rebuilt so as to integrate
smoothly within the new structure within just
six days of allocated line closures, thereby
minimizing disruption to the railway service.
Operation of the building is also intended to
have a low environmental impact, thanks to
a raft of water and energy saving measures
incorporated into the building design. Low
carbon concrete, containing ground blast
furnace slag instead of cement, was also
used to bring down the CO2 emissions.
Further environmental considerations
required minimizing leakage of light and
noise from the stadium and the impact on
the biodiversity of the area.

CLI EN T
Lansdowne Road Stadium
Development Company
AR CH I T EC T
Populous / Scott Tallon Walker
PR OJ EC T VALU E
400m
D U R AT I O N
2005 - 2010
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, civil engineering,
ground engineering, planning
supervision, rivers and coastal engineering
(flood risk advice).

Image BuroHappold Engineering/

Peter Barrow Photography

PALASPOR T OVAL LINGOT TO

TURIN, ITALY
The creation of an 8,500-seat, world class
speed skating arena for the 2006 Turin
Winter Olympic Games, allowing athletes
to achieve outstanding performances
and speed records. This new facility, along
with the Olympic Village, was part of the
redevelopment of the Lingotto exhibition
complex on the former Fiat factory site. The
design of the ice rink had to meet three
key criteria: To provide optimum internal
climatic conditions for speed skating;
creating a flexible, dual use venue for the
local community that offers skating in
winter and exhibition space in the summer;
and to improve the local environment as an
integral part of the urban redevelopment.
A key challenge of the project was the
construction of the arenas soaring
360ft by 720ft clear-span roof structure,
which is made up of a system of arching
secondary trusses and curved primary bowtrusses supported at one end on leaning
quadrapod legs. The entire steel structure
is exposed and its undulating form gives the

arena a stunning appearance. The roof was

designed to carry substantial snow loads
and hence undergoes large deflections
under both snow and thermal loadings;
requiring an innovative joint at the head
of the facades to accommodate these
movements. The building services design
was driven by the tight air temperature and
humidity requirements required for record
breaking speed skating. The amount of
sunlight entering the building had to be
closely controlled, this resulted in only the
north faade being glazed.

CLI EN T
Agenzia Torino 2006
AR CH I T EC T
HOK SVE and Studio Zoppini Associati
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$35 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2005
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, MEP engineering,
computational simulation and analysis

Palasport Oval Lingotto received a 2007

Gold Award from the International
Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities
(IAKS) and the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) and won the IStructE
Structural Award in 2006.

Images Studio Zoppini Associati

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

21

ESTDIO DAS DUNAS NATAL

NATAL, BR AZIL
Estadio das Dunas is a part of the city of
Natals ambitious proposal to host the 2014
World Cup. BuroHappold Engineering
completed the structural design of
the stadium which is a harmonious
incorporation of different structural
components. The steel structure for the roof
is made up of large curved cantilevering
trusses held back by the concrete raker
beams that make up the concrete stands.
The depth of the roof allows for the
incorporation of light ETFE pillows for
transparency which create a dynamic and
exciting pattern in the roof scape.

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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

CLI EN T
Gordon and Co
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$150 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering

A D E S I G N T H AT W I L L R A I S E T H E R O O F F O R
MANCHESTER CIT Y FOOTBALL CLUB

E TIHAD, MANCHESTER CIT Y FC STADIUM

MANCHESTER, UK
The Manchester City Football Club Etihad
Stadium is undergoing a major expansion
involving the addition of 6,000 seats.
Theaim is to create a 60,000 capacity facility
appropriate for Manchester Citys stature
and fanbase.
BuroHappold Engineering has been
commissioned to carry out the structural
engineering design for the project including
the new upper tier of the seating bowl and
a new roof. The structure is highly complex,
with a new suspended roof in excess of 60m
designed to complement the existing iconic
design. A particular challenge that weve
had to overcome is how to reconfigure the
existing cable net and elevate the roof in
such a way that spectators are continuously
protected during the construction
alterations. We have achieved this by using
complex analysis in order to ensure that
the stadium can remain in continuous use
throughout theseason.

We have used BIM extensively on this

project from the beginning of UK RIBA
Stage C. This has enabled us to develop
quality information that is immediately
ready for the contractor. BuroHappold is
working directly with the contractor on the
construction sequence to ensure that the
design and construction requirements are
integrated.

CLI EN T
Manchester City Football Club
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
PR OJ EC T VALU E
Confidential
D U R AT I O N
2013 - ongoing
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Civil engineering, structural engineering,
geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology,
facades, fire engineering, geo-environmental
engineering

Image Shahid Khan

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

23

KING ABDULLAH STADIUM PROJEC TS (K ASP)

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
King Abdullah has authorized Saudi
Aramco to build 11 new sports stadiums
to host international, regional and local
football games, each with a capacity to
accommodate 45,000 spectators. Aramco
has won the kings confidence after it
successfully carried out a number of vital
projects, including the King Abdullah Sports
City in Jeddah, for which BuroHappold
Engineering provided structural design
review and alternative services.
On the design team with Populous for the
KASP projects, BuroHappold is providing
multidisciplinary engineering services for
the concept design development of the
combined faade and roof structure, and
master plan of four of these stadiums.
Projects are expected to be completed
within two years and no later than 2017.

CLI EN T
Aramco
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
DAT E S
Completion expected in 2017
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Faade engineering, faade access, structural
engineering, utilities planning (below ground),
road design, fire & life safety (FEDRA), security,
accessibility

Rendering Populous
24

S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

KING ABDULLAH SPOR TS CIT Y STADIUM

JEDDAH, RIYADH, KSA
The new stadium forms the center piece
of the the King Abdullah Sports City
development and will host international,
regional and local football matches with a
seating capacity of over 60,000. The stadium
conforms to FIFA standards and will include
facilities for players, officials, spectators as
well as Royal suites and corporate boxes.
BuroHappold Engineering was initially
appointed by Bouygues Construction
at tender stage to examine the concept
design carried out by Arup, highlighting
deficiencies and appropriate solutions for
the entire engineering and architectural
system including aspects of the stadiums
performance, crowd flow and comfort and
appearance, which cut approximately $50
million off the construction cost.

We reviewed the engineering calculations

and construction drawings for the roof and
seating bowl to verify structural systems,
loadpaths and key details including
compliance with international design
standards.
A more detailed review was carried out
with the creation of independent 3D finite
elements models to identify any shortfalls
in the original structural design in the
temporary and permanent conditions
as well as detail any remedial works as
necessary.
The stadium was completed in 18 months
and was opened to much acclaim in May
2014 when it hosted the domestic cup final.

CLI EN T
BuroHappold UK Client - Bouygues
Construction
BuroHappold ME Client - EC Harris
Final Client - Saudi Aramco
AR CH I T EC T
Arup Associates
PR OJ EC T VALU E
$533 million
D U R AT I O N
Completed in 2014
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural design review and alternative design

During the construction BuroHappold

was appointed by EC Harris to carry out
a structural appraisal of the stadium roof,
supporting superstructure and pre-cast
seating elements.
Image King Abdullah Sports City Jeddah
BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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C R O W D P L E A S I N G S TA D I U M D E S I G N F O R I N T E R N AT I O N A L C H A M P I O N S H I P S

SHEIKH ZAYED STADIUM REDE VELOPMENT

ABU DHABI, UAE
In 2008 Abu Dhabi was appointed host for
the 2009 FIFA World Club Championships,
meaning the old Sheikh Zayed Stadium
required extensive refurbishment. The project
had to deliver an international standard
football pitch and athletics track, with
seating for 40,000 spectators. BuroHappold
Engineering provided integrated services
for the creation of a suitable championship
venue. The main challenge was the program
timescale, which gave our team only nine
months to complete the refurbishment.
BuroHappold had to make the stadium
compliant with modern standards, working
within the constraints of an existing facility
and an immovable deadline.
The pitch lighting was old, outdated
and didnt conform to modern lighting
standards or broadcasting requirements.
BuroHappold faced the challenge of
modernizing this aspect within the
constraints of the existing infrastructure and
mountings, while minimizingdisruption.
Glare was also an issue due to the low roof
and positioning of the TVcameras. Our
team successfully increased light levels to
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S P O R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

a standard suitable for broadcasting, also

replacing the concourselighting. We also
carried out extensive renovations to the
Royal Box, including the incorporation of a
cantilevered roof with integrated lighting
and ventilation systems. The roof supports
a fully retractable glazed facade, allowing
attendees to experience the stadium from
either an environmentally controlled or
more naturally exposed arrangement.
The complex installation of the glazing
used threaded tie rods, modified to suit
the tolerance of the glass. Newly upgraded
media facilities allow international standard
broadcasting equipment to be connected
to existing facilities, accommodating
current technical requirements. Additional
structural upgrades included strengthening
balustrades, along with a cable at roof level
to support flags and banners.
BuroHappold successfully delivered agile
design solutions in a very tight timescale.
The refurbishment works were completed to
exceptional standards of comfort and style,
with the first game played in the updated
stadium in December 2009.

CLI EN T
Mubadala
AR CH I T EC T
Populous
D U R AT I O N
2008 2009
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Building services, structural engineering,
IT & comms, security consultancy, fire risk
and design assessment consultancy, acoustic
engineering, light engineering

Image Populous

THE NE W STADIUM
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The New Stadium is the centerpiece of a
new sporting complex known as the Sports
Hub. The complex forms part of the Capital
District Masterplan to the East of the main
Abu Dhabi Island. The main intended
use of the stadium is hosting sporting
events (primarily football and rugby), with
a maximum seating capacity of 65,000
spectators. Additionally, the stadium will be
used for hosting a variety of events such as
concerts and exhibitions.
BuroHappold was employed by Bouygues
to develop the appraisal of the concept and
scheme design. We provided a complete
engineering review including structural
and MEP engineering alongside a whole
range of other disciplines, including fire
engineering.

An important part of the review concerned

the retractable roof and associated systems.
Our experience of many similar projects
helped us to quickly get to grips with the
concept and develop a third party review
of the structure, including movement
technologies and control systems, interfaces
with fixed structures, and impacts on MEP
systems.

CLI EN T
Bouygues Construction
AR CH I T EC T
Arup Associates
D U R AT I O N
Ongoing
SERV I CE S PR OV I D ED BY BU R O HAPP O LD
Structural engineering, MEP engineering,
specialist consulting including crowd flow
analysis and simulation

Image Arup Associates

BUROHAPPOLD ENGINEERING

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BUROHAPPOLD ON

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